The invention relates to shelving in general and specifically to an illuminated refrigerator shelf and a method of manufacture thereof.
Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2003/0038571 A1 which published on Feb. 27, 2003 in the name of Thomas W. Obrock et al. discloses the closest prior art known to the applicant which includes a refrigerator shelf having side edge lighting. The shelf of FIGS. 7 through 14 and particularly FIGS. 10 through 14 includes a flat plate of light transmitting material, such as tempered glass, having along each of side edges thereof an end cap with each end cap carrying a plurality of spaced lights or bulbs which are appropriately connected to a 12 volt electrical current source for edge-illuminating the glass plate. Each of the end caps can carry a cantilever beam which is actually a shelf bracket having hooks for vertically adjusting the cantilever shelf relative to conventional slotted tracks of a refrigerator compartment. This patent specifically discloses that an upper edge of the cantilevered beams or shelf brackets can be secured to the end caps by molding, gluing, friction fitting, encapsulating or any other suitable attachment means. Utilizing appropriate conductors projecting from the end caps which mate with female electrical conductors of the tracks, the cantilevered shelf can be illuminated in a variety of different positions of vertical adjustment. The lifetime of the lights associated with the illuminated shelf is designed to be approximately 1,000 hours which, assuming being lit only a few minutes each day when the refrigerator door is open, might allegedly exceed the life of the refrigerator itself. However, the latter expectation does not account for the possibility of power surges which could burn all the lights out, liquid leakage from products which would create a short to likewise create a short and prevent any illumination whatever, a broken wire between lights, etc. As a matter of fact, front and rear edges of the tempered glass plate are turned up to form a spillage-containment volume with the associated end caps, but should sealant, bonding, encapsulation or the like include voids or fissures or deteriorate to provide such product, liquid spillage would readily enter the end caps causing a short and thereby reduce the life and effectiveness of the illuminated shelf.